Electrical condition monitoring method for polymers

ABSTRACT

An electrical condition monitoring method utilizes measurement of electrical resistivity of an age sensor made of a conductive matrix or composite disposed in a polymeric structure such as an electrical cable. The conductive matrix comprises a base polymer and conductive filler. The method includes communicating the resistivity to a measuring instrument and correlating resistivity of the conductive matrix of the polymeric structure with resistivity of an accelerated-aged conductive composite.

This application claims priority for U.S. Provisional Application No.60/362,157 filed Mar. 6, 2002.

This application resulted, in part, from research funded by the U.S.Department of Energy. Certain rights for any intellectual propertyresulting from this application may apply to the Government of theUnited States.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for determiningdeterioration and remaining life of polymeric material utilizingmeasured electrical quantities, and, more particularly, for determiningmechanical properties and remaining life of a polymeric material bymeasurement of electrical resistivity of a conductive composite of thepolymer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The polymeric materials used in wire and cable insulation and jacketing(and other polymers) degrade with age, especially in severeenvironmental conditions. The safe operation of existing and futureplants such as nuclear power plants requires monitoring of theinsulation materials in order to anticipate degradation beforeperformance of the wire and cable is adversely affected.

Age related wire and cable failure is primarily a mechanical mechanism.As the insulation ages, it becomes embrittled and eventually failsmechanically by cracking and exposing bare conductors. The industry hasspent considerable time and effort to develop condition monitoringmethods which monitor installed wire and cable and ensure that thematerials have not degraded excessively. These methods are also used topredict safe operating lifetime of wire and cable insulation materialsfor anticipated environmental conditions. Presently, cable conditionmonitoring (CCM) methods are categorized as mechanical methods, chemicalmethods and electrical methods.

Elongation-at-break (EAB) has traditionally been one of the most commonand well-documented CCM methods. This mechanical method measures theelongation of a sample of insulation material just prior to break and isnormally expressed as a ratio of the break length divided by theoriginal length of the sample. Since elongation measured in the test isanalogous to elongation occurring when bending wire and cable, theresults can be easily correlated to actual wire and cable insulationcondition. Arrhenius methods described by others are normally used topredict material lifetime at a target ambient temperature fromacceleration-aged data.

A serious disadvantage of the EAB method is that a relatively largesample portion is required to perform the test. This makes the testessentially destructive since the cable is rendered inoperative when thesample is removed. Even if a cable is sacrificed in order to run a test,some portions of the cable may be difficult or nearly impossible toaccess for sample removal, as would be the case if the area of interestis within a cable bundle, wire tray, or internal to a penetration. Theequipment needed for measurement is relatively expensive and requiresspecialized skills.

Indenter modulus test is a relatively new mechanical test that utilizesa machine to press a small anvil at constant velocity against the outersurface of the cable or insulated conductor while measuring the forceexerted on the anvil. The indenter modulus is defined as the slope ofthe force-position curve. A major advantage of the indenter modulus testis that the test itself is non-destructive. However, the test is oflimited use on conductor insulation since access to a sufficient lengthof individual conductors is often restricted. Also, the test is notpractical on cable within cable bundles or trays, or in other confinedspaces.

Oxidation Induction Time (OIT) is a chemical condition monitoring methodthat utilizes small (8-10 mg) samples removed from cable insulationmaterials. The method utilizes a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC)to provide an indication of the rapid oxidation of the sample whenanti-oxidants, normally present in the insulation material, areexhausted. Short induction times indicate exhaustion of the anti-oxidantand anticipate rapid degradation of the material. Sample collectionrequires access to the cable which limits testable portions of thecable. Measurement requires expensive laboratory equipment andspecialized training.

Electrical condition monitoring methods include insulation resistance,high potential tests, tan-delta tests, and ionized gas medium tests.These tests are essentially “go-no-go” tests (do not predict theremaining life of the sample) since no well-established methods reliablypredict insulation lifetime based on the results. Several of these testsrequire high electrical potentials to be connected to cables, requiringremoval of connected equipment and loads in order for the tests to beperformed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore an object of the present invention is to provide a conditionmonitoring method for polymers which provides the ability to measure anelectrical property of a conductive composite of the polymer in anon-destructive manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a condition monitoringmethod which allows correlation of an electrical property of aconductive composite of the polymer with a mechanical property.

Another object of the invention is to provide a condition monitoringmethod which allows correlation of an electrical property of aconductive composite of the polymer with remaining life of the polymer.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a conditionmonitoring method which utilizes a conductive polymer tracer to monitorthe aging conditions in any environment.

The methodology of the proposed condition monitoring method utilizes theelectrical resistivity of a conductive composite formed from a candidatepolymer material as a highly sensitive measurement of a mechanicalproperty (volume shrinkage). Volume shrinkage, in turn, will becorrelated as a mechanical indicator of insulation material aging. Themethod eliminates disadvantages of current methods and provides acondition monitoring method which improves safety and reduces conditionmonitoring costs.

The incorporation of inert conductive particles into the polymer to forma conductive composite provides several significant advantages forcondition monitoring:

-   -   (1) A small change in volume of the conductive composite results        in a large change in electrical resistivity. A few percent        change in volume fraction of the insulation material provides a        potential of 3-5 orders of magnitude or more change in the        resistivity of the composite. This high measurement sensitivity        provides an opportunity to detect and monitor small aging        effects which current condition monitoring methods are        insensitive to; and    -   (2) Measurement of the electrical resistivity is a simple        measurement requiring no special equipment, expertise or removal        from service.

The conductive composite sensor may be distributed within a polymericproduct such as electrical cables as a separate filament, or it could beco-extruded as a filament in the product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with regard to the followingdescription, appended claims and accompanying drawings where:

FIGS. 1A is a plot of elongation at break for a conductive compositesample of ethylene propylene rubber vs. age time at 125C.

FIG. 1B is a plot of volume change (shrinkage) for a conductivecomposite sample of ethylene propylene rubber vs. age time at 125C.

FIG. 1C is a plot of density of a conductive composite sample ofethylene propylene rubber vs. age time at 125C.

FIG. 1D is a plot of electrical resistivity of a conductive compositesample of ethylene propylene rubber vs. age time at 125C.

FIG. 2A is a cross section of an electrical cable comprising an agesensor filament made of a conductive composite;

FIG. 2B is a cross section of an electrical cable comprising an agesensor filament co-extruded in an insulated conductor insulation and acable jacket;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a means for measuring the resistivityof a conductive age sensor filament;

FIG. 4 is a perspective drawing of an electrical cable comprising aplurality of age sensors disposed in the cable jacket;

FIG. 5 is a perspective drawing of an electrical cable comprising an agesensor strip disposed in the cable jacket;

FIG. 6 is a perspective drawing of a plurality of age sensor assembliesutilizing an RFID to communicate resistivity to an external instrument;and

FIG. 7 is a perspective drawing of a polymeric structure comprising aplurality of conductive composite age sensors disposed in the structure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following is a description of the preferred embodiments of a methodfor determining the degradation of a polymeric material by use of anelectrical measurement.

Definitions: Although the term resistivity (electrical) is usedthroughout the specification, it is understood that conductivity, as thereciprocal of resistivity, can be substituted as a measurable electricalproperty by those skilled in the art.

The term conductive composite polymer, as used in this specification, isgenerally meant to include any conductive composite comprising a mixtureof conductive particles in a polymer matrix or base, and may includeadditional fillers, additives and binders. This composite typeconductive polymer is differentiated from intrinsically conductivepolymers which posses electrically conductive properties withoutaddition of conductive particles.

The method of the present invention utilizes measurement of anelectrical property of a conductive composite to indirectly measure theaging or degradation effects on a polymeric material. In the preferredembodiments, the conductive composite comprises conductive particlessuch as carbon black particles or metallic particles evenly dispersed ormixed in the polymeric material of interest. Degradation and agingeffects which include chain scission and additional cross-linking willresult in volumetric changes to the polymeric portion of the compositeand will affect electrical properties such as the resistivity orconductivity of the composite.

Degradation and aging mechanisms of polymers are numerous and complex,but cross-linking of polymer chains, caused by thermal exposure,radiation exposure, and thermal-oxidative mechanisms has been shown inthe literature to result in increased packing density of the polymerchains, resulting in densification and volumetric shrinkage. Ifconductive fillers are chosen which are relatively inert for theenvironments in which the composites are used and tested, the volumefraction of the filler will remain constant with degradation of thepolymer matrix. The resulting volumetric shrinkage of the polymer matrixof a conductive composite results in an increase in the volume fractionof the conductive filler particles in the composite.

Changes in the volume fraction of conductive fillers can be detected byelectrical measurements of the conductive composite. Specifically, theresistivity (or conductivity) provides a measure of the volume fractionof the conductive filler.

Resistivity measurements of conductive composites affords very highsensitivity to conductive filler volume fraction changes in conductivepolymer composites as a result of polymer matrix shrinkage anddensification. For example, the volumetric shrinkage of a polymer due toage-related cross-linking may be on the order of only a few percent overthe useful life of the polymer. Selection of the conductive filler typeand loading may result in several orders of magnitude of resistivitychange due to the volumetric shrinkage. This is especially the case ifthe conductive filler loading is chosen to be in the percolation zone ofthe conductive composite. Other aging mechanisms, such as loss ofvolatile components of the polymer during aging also result in anincrease in the volume fraction of the conductive filler.

The high sensitivity of resistivity of a conductive polymer composite tovolumetric shrinkage (or expansion) of the polymer matrix provides anamplified method useful in detecting an measuring the small changes inpolymer volume fraction as a result of age-related degradation such ascross-linking of the matrix due to thermal, radiation, and thermaloxidative mechanisms. While direct measurements of volumetric shrinkageof the polymers would provide a quantitative means to detectdegradation, this method is usually destructive for many applications,and requires laboratory analysis. Measurement of resistivity, althoughan indirect measurement of the volumetric shrinkage, provides anon-destructive, in-situ, measurement that is much more sensitive thancan be done by normal laboratory measurements of volumetric shrinkage ordensity, and can be carried out with simple field equipment such as anohmmeter or multimeter.

The amplifying effect of the conductive composite resistivitymeasurement approach allows measurement of volumetric or density changessmaller than that afforded by direct mechanical measurements. Forexample physical aging effects, such as relaxation of polymer chainnetworks of polymers below the glass transition temperature, and creepeffects can be detected over short time intervals by resistivitymeasurements of conductive composites of the polymer. Detection ofnatural aging effects over short time periods, such as days or weeks ispossible by this method, where months or years would be required byconventional mechanical or chemical measurements such as elongation tobreak, and oxygen induction time (OIT) measurements.

EXAMPLES

FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C show elongation at break, volume change and densityof ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) under accelerated thermal aging at125C. FIG. 1D shows resistivity change for EPR samples under the sameaging conditions.

Use of resistivity data of polymeric composite materials could be usedin several ways. For example, accelerated aging of a compositecomprising a specific polymer and a given volume fraction of aconductive filler would result in a resistivity vs. time for the testtemperature. Measurement of mechanical properties such as elongation atbreak or hardness as the composite is aged, would provide a relationshipof the mechanical property to the resistivity for the composite. Thisrelationship could be determined by the aging curves, such as that ofFIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D showing the value of the mechanical property vs.resistivity. Or, the relationship could be expressed by a mathematicalalgorithm by curve fitting methods known in the art. By inclusion ofbase polymer samples (without conductive fillers) during the agingtrial, the mechanical properties of the base polymer could be predictedby measurement of a representative sample of the conductive compositehaving the same base polymer.

By incorporating aging trials of a conductive composite at severaltemperatures, measuring resistivity and mechanical properties vs. agingtime, Arrhenius methodology and/or time/temperature superposition knownin the art could be used to predict remaining lifetime of the composite(or base polymer) as a function of aging temperature. In-situmeasurement of the resistivity of a test or trial portion of the polymerhaving conductive filler could be used to verify the remaining life ofthe polymer and act as an indirect measurement of desired mechanicalproperties.

Physical aging affects of polymers could be modeled in a similar meansby thermal processing a conductive composite, optionally in an inert gasenvironment, and measuring resistivity vs. mechanical properties such asvolumetric shrinkage, density and creep properties.

FIG. 2A is a cross section of a multi-conductor cable 201 having threeinsulated conductors 203, an outer cable jacket 205, and an age sensorfilament 207 disposed in the cabled conductors. In the preferredembodiments, the age sensor filament “tracer” is a conductive compositecomprising the conductor insulator polymer as the base polymer andconductive filler such as carbon black. In other embodiments, theconductive composite utilizes a second polymer as the base polymer. Instill other embodiments, the conductive composite utilizes metallic ormetallic oxides as the conductive filler. The sensor filament may bepositioned at other locations in the cable such as outside the insulatedconductors and inside the cable jacket.

FIG. 2B is an alternative embodiment 202 of the cable of FIG. 1utilizing a co-extruded age sensor tracer 209 in the insulated portionof the insulated conductor, or an alternative age tracer 211 co-extrudedin the cable jacket. In the preferred embodiments, the base polymer ofthe senor tracers is the same polymer as the insulated conductor orjacket. In other embodiments, a different base polymer is utilized.

FIG. 3 is a schematic of a method of monitoring the resistivity of theage sensor 303 of cable 301. Age sensor filament 303 is distributedalong the cable and disposed, for example, along the insulatedconductors 305. A second element 303A, is disposed along the length ofcable 301 inside jacket 307. Second element 303A may be another agesensor filament similar to age sensor filament 303, or it may be aninsulated or non-insulated conductor such as a metallic conductor. Shunt309 connects age sensor 303 and second element 303A to form aseries-connected loop 311 which functions as an electrical age sensorfor the cable. Conductors 313 connect age sensor loop 311 to terminalbox 315. A resistance-measuring instrument, such as ohmmeter 317measures the resistance of age sensor loop 311 at terminal box 315. Bymonitoring resistance (or resistivity calculated from the sensordimensions) changes in age sensor loop 311 and comparing the results toaccelerated aged conductive composites and insulation base polymers, thematerial properties such as elongation-at-break of the insulationpolymers may be determined.

In other embodiments ohmmeter 317 connects directly to age sensor 303and second element 303A.

FIG. 4 is a perspective drawing of an alternative method of monitoringcable condition. Cable 401 comprises a plurality of condition or agesensors 403 embedded in cable jacket 405. Age sensors 403 may be aconductive composite of cable jacket 405 or insulated conductor 407polymers co-extruded in jacket 405. In other embodiments, conductivecomposites utilized in age sensors 403 may be made of other polymersdesigned to degrade in a manner similar to insulated conductors 407 orjacket 405.

A composite condition or age sensing instrument such as ohmmeter 409 maycomprise a probe 411 having terminals 413 spaced to provide aresistivity measurement of age sensors 403 when contacted with agesensor 403. Terminals 413 comprise a predetermined spacing 415 toprovide a resistivity reading of age sensors 403 which comprise apredetermined width 417 and predetermined thickness 419.

FIG. 5 is an alternative embodiment 501 of the cable of FIG. 4 having acontinuous condition/age sensor strip 503. Sensor strip 503 comprises apredetermined width and thickness similar to age sensors 403 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an embodiment of another method of monitoring age sensors 603of cable 601 by utilizing radio frequency identification (RFID) tagassemblies 605. Tag assemblies 605 comprise age sensors 603 made from aconductive composite connected to an RFID chip 607. RFID chip 607 maycomprise an antenna 607A for active or passive communication with areader 609. A plurality of tag assemblies 605 may disposed in cable 601,for example by attaching assemblies 605 to tape 611 and wrapping tape611 around insulated conductors 613. Tape 611 may comprise an adhesivesurface 615 for retaining tag assemblies 605. In still otherembodiments, a RFID tag assembly 605 may be connected to sensor loop 311of cable 301 of FIG. 3 and embedded in cable 301.

FIG. 7 shows the method of FIG. 4 applied to other extruded or castpolymer products 701 such as extruded or cast polymer siding, extrudedor cast polymer pipe or tube, extruded, cast or laid-up compositestructures such as aircraft structural parts and boat hulls.Age/condition sensors 703 are made from conductive composites asdiscussed in previous examples, and may be co-extruded, cast, or theymay be applied as conductive hot-melt or adhesive composites. Continuousage sensor strips such as strip 503 of FIG. 5 may be substituted for agesensors 703.

In the preferred embodiments, age sensor conductive composites utilizethe base polymer of the structure they are monitoring, such as theinsulation polymer for wire and cable age sensors, or PVC for housesiding. In some embodiments, the age sensor composite may be “designed”to age at the same, or in some cases faster than the base polymer byaltering the filler content, adding or deleting anti-oxidants to the agesensor, or “pre-aging” the age sensor by accelerated aging techniques tomatch aging performance with the polymeric structure being monitored.These techniques may also be used to alter the response of the agesensor to more nearly follow natural aging of the polymer.

Although the description above contains many specifications, theseshould not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention butmerely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferredembodiments of this invention. Thus the scope of the invention should bedetermined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, ratherthan by the examples given.

1. A method of determining environmentally induced degradation of apolymer, the method comprising the steps of: adding conductive particlesto the polymer to form a conductive composite comprising a preselectedweight percent of conductive particles; making an electrical connectionwith the conductive composite and measuring an electrical property ofthe conductive composite; and equating a change in the electricalproperty of the conductive composite, with the same electrical propertyof a previously environmentally degraded sample of the conductivecomposite to determine the degradation of the polymer, the change in theelectrical property consistent with a decrease in electricalresistivity.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the measured electricalproperty is electrical resistivity.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein themeasured electrical property is electrical conductivity.
 4. The methodof claim 1 wherein the degradation of the polymer is mechanicaldegradation of the polymer.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein themechanical property comprises a durometer of the polymer.
 6. The methodof claim 4 wherein the mechanical property comprises an elongationproperty of the polymer.
 7. The method of claim 4 wherein the mechanicalproperty comprises a hardness of the polymer.
 8. The method of claim 4wherein the mechanical property comprises a tensile strength of thepolymer.
 9. The method of claim 4 wherein the mechanical propertycomprises a toughness of the polymer.
 10. The method of claim 1 whereinthe degradation of the polymer is a chemical degradation.
 11. The methodof claim 10 wherein the chemical degradation comprises a measure ofoxidation of the polymer.
 12. The method of claim 10 wherein thechemical degradation comprises a measure of a remaining amount ofanti-oxidant added to the polymer.
 13. The method of claim 1 wherein thepreviously degraded sample was degraded by an accelerated aging means.14. The method of claim 13 wherein the accelerated aging means comprisesaging in an environment elevated in temperature as compared to thenormal operating temperature of the polymer.
 15. The method of claim 13wherein the accelerated aging means comprises aging in an elevatedradiation environment.
 16. The method of claim 13 wherein theaccelerated aging means comprises aging in an elevated humidityenvironment.
 17. A degradation sensor for a polymeric structure, thesensor comprising: a first quantity of conductive particles dispersed ina first portion of the polymeric structure to define a conductivecomposite portion, the first portion comprising less than a totalpolymer in the structure; and a means for communicating an electricalmeasurement of the conductive composite to an electrical measurementapparatus; and a means for correlating a decrease in said electricalmeasurement consistent with a decrease in resistivity to anenvironmentally induced degraded condition of said polymeric structure.18. The degradation sensor of claim 17 wherein the means forcommunicating an electrical measurement of the conductive compositecomprises a portion of the conductive composite disposed on an outsidesurface of the polymeric structure.
 19. The degradation sensor of claim17 wherein the means for communicating an electrical measurement of theconductive composite comprises a metallic conductor communicating withthe conductive composite.
 20. The degradation sensor of claim 17 whereinthe means for communicating an electrical measurement of the conductivecomposite comprises an electromagnetic emitter.
 21. The degradationsensor of claim 20 wherein the electromagnetic emitter is a radiofrequency identification tag.
 22. The degradation sensor of claim 17wherein the conductive composite defines a filament disposed in thepolymeric structure.
 23. The degradation sensor of claim 17 wherein theconductive composite defines an extruded strip in the polymericstructure.
 24. The degradation sensor of claim 17 wherein the conductivecomposite defines a plurality of portions of conductive composite, saidplurality of portions of conductive composite being separated from eachother by portions of polymer without said conductive particles.
 25. Apolymeric structure comprising: a degradation sensor for the polymericstructure, the sensor comprising: a first quantity of conductiveparticles dispersed in a first portion of the polymeric structure todefine a conductive composite portion, the first portion comprising lessthan a total polymer in the structure; and a means for communicating anelectrical measurement of the conductive composite to an electricalmeasurement apparatus; and a means for correlating a decrease in saidelectrical measurement consistent with a decrease in resistivity to anenvironmentally induced degraded condition of said polymeric structure.26. The polymeric structure of claim 25 wherein the polymeric structureis the insulation of an electrical wire.
 27. The polymeric structure ofclaim 25 wherein the polymeric structure is an electrical cable.
 28. Thepolymeric structure of claim 25 wherein the polymeric structure is apipe.
 29. The polymeric structure of claim 25 wherein the polymericstructure is a building siding portion.
 30. The polymeric structure ofclaim 25 wherein the polymeric structure is an aircraft compositestructure.
 31. The polymeric structure of claim 25 wherein the polymericstructure is a boat hull.
 32. A method of determining environmentallyinduced degradation of a polymer, the method comprising the steps of:adding conductive particles to the polymer to form a conductivecomposite comprising a preselected weight percent of conductiveparticles; making an electrical connection with the conductive compositeand measuring a resistivity of the conductive composite; and equatingthe resistivity of the conductive composite with the resistivity of apreviously environmentally degraded sample of the conductive compositeto determine the degradation of the polymer; wherein a decrease in aresistivity correlates to an age degraded state of the polymer.
 33. Themethod of claim 32 wherein said degraded state of the polymer is adecrease in specific volume with age.
 34. The method of claim 32 whereinsaid degraded state of the polymer is an increase in density of thepolymer with age.
 35. The method of claim 32 wherein said degraded stateof the polymer is a reduction of elongation at break with age.
 36. Themethod of claim 32 wherein said degraded state of the polymer is a lossof volatile fractions with age.
 37. The method of claim 32 wherein saidequating the resistivity of the conductive composite with theresistivity of a previously-degraded sample of the conductive compositeis performed at several temperatures and Arrhenius methodology is usedto predict the remaining life of the polymer.
 38. A method ofdetermining environmentally induced degradation of a polymer, the methodcomprising the steps of: measuring the resistivity of a composite sensormade of said polymer and a conductive filler; equating a reduction ofresistivity of said composite sensor to an environmentally degradedstate of said polymer wherein said reduction of resistivity results fromvolumetric shrinkage of said polymer from aging.
 39. The method ofdetermining degradation of a polymer of claim 38 wherein said degradedstate is a reduction of elongation of said polymer.
 40. The method ofdetermining degradation of a polymer of claim 38 wherein said degradedstate is a densification of said polymer.
 41. The method of determiningdegradation of a polymer of claim 38 wherein said degraded state is aloss of volatile components of said polymer.
 42. The method ofdetermining degradation of a polymer of claim 38 wherein said sensor isdisposed in a product made of said polymer.
 43. The method ofdetermining degradation of a polymer of claim 42 wherein said sensor isdisposed on a surface of a product made of said polymer.
 44. The methodof determining degradation of a polymer of claim 42 wherein said productis electrical insulation.
 45. The method of determining degradation of apolymer of claim 42 wherein said product is a polymeric aircraftstructural part.